Guido Anselmi quotes from 8½ (1963)

Guido Anselmi

Accept me as I am. Only then can we discover each other.

Guido Anselmi

Enough of symbolism and these escapist themes of purity and innocence.

Guido Anselmi

My Dears... Happiness consists of being able to tell the truth without hurting anyone.

Guido Anselmi

All the confusion of my life... has been a reflection of myself! Myself as I am, not as I'd like to be.

Guido Anselmi

The truth is: I do not know... I seek... I have not yet found. Only with this in mind can I feel alive and look at you without shame.

I don't understand. He meets a girl that can give him a new life and he pushes her away?

Guido

Because he no longer believes in it.

Because he doesn't know how to love.

Guido

Because it isn't true that a woman can change a man.

Because he doesn't know how to love.

Guido

And above all because I don't feel like telling another pile of lies.

Because he doesn't know how to love.

Guido

I thought my ideas were so clear. I wanted to make an honest film. No lies whatsoever. I thought I had something so simple to say. Something useful to everybody. A film to help bury forever all the dead things we carry around inside. Instead, it's me who lacks the courage to bury anything at all. Now I'm utterly confused, with this tower on my hands. I wonder why things turned out this way. Where did I lose my way? I really have nothing to say, but I want to say it anyway. Why don't those spirits of yours come to my aid? You always said they had lots of messages for me. Let them get to work.

I've already told you: your attitude is all wrong. You're curious in a childish way. You want too many guarantees.

Guido

Fine, but what do they say?

The same as always. They're very reasonable. They know you very well.

Guido

Well then?

They say you're free, but you have to choose. And you don't have much time. You have to hurry.

Guido

What is this sudden happiness that makes me tremble, giving me strength, life? Forgive me, sweet creatures. I hadn't understood, I didn't know. It's so natural accepting you, loving you. And so simple. Luisa, I feel I've been freed. Everything seems so good, so meaningful. Everything is true. I wish I could explain. But I didn't know how to. So. Everything is confused again, as it was before. But this confusion is... me. Not as I'd like to be, but as I am. I'm not afraid anymore of telling the truth, of the things I don't know, what I'm looking for and haven't found. This is the only way I can feel alive and I can look into your faithful eyes without shame. Life is a celebration. Let's live it together! This is all I can say Luisa, to you or the others. Accept me for what I am, if you want me. It's the only way we might be able to find each other.

I don't know if what you said to me is right. But I can try if you help me.

Guido

Could you walk out on everything and start all over again? Could you choose one single thing, and be faithful to it? Could you make it the one thing that gives your life meaning... just because you believe in it? Could you do that?"

I don't know... could you?"

Guido

No, the character I'm thinking of couldn't. He wants to possess and devour everything. He can't pass anything up. He's afraid he'll miss something. He's drained.

That's how the film ends?

Guido

No, that's how it begins. Then he meets a girl at the springs. She gives him water to heal him. She's beautiful... young, yet ancient... child, yet already a woman... authentic, complete. It's obvious that she could be his salvation.

Guido

You'll wear white... with long hair, just as you do now.

Guido

Hold it. Let me have a look at you. No, your makeup should be more...

...more what?

Guido

Like a whore.